Sino-Pak anti-terrorism exercise enters into second stage

Code-named "Friendship-2006", the eight-day China-Pakistan joint anti- terrorism exercise entered into the second stage on Sunday after four days of weapons and expertise display in a hilly area of northern Pakistan's Abbottabad.

Under the subject of "anti-terror operation in mountainous terrain", Sunday's exercise includes command post exercise, and exercise with troop, which involves raids, ambushes, cordoning, searching and annihilation.

The joint operation was initiated on Dec. 11 and will continue to Dec. 18, with participation of hundreds of army officers and soldiers from both sides.

China and Pakistan conducted the joint exercise with an aim to enhance communication and understanding between the two armies in anti-terror operation, step up the cooperation in non-traditional security fields and maintain regional peace and stability as well.

This land-based joint anti-terrorism drill, the second one between the two countries since 2004, came as part of activities of celebrating the 55th anniversary of the establishment of Sino- Pakistani diplomatic relations.

In August 2004, China and Pakistan held the first joint anti- terrorism military exercise in western China's Xinjiang, bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Source: Xinhua